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Orlando Art and Cultural Sites
The Unexpected Orlando offers unique natural, cultural and heritage
attractions that will change the way you think about Orlando.
Did you know that the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in
Winter Park houses the world's most comprehensive collection of the
works of Louis Comfort Tiffany? Or, that the Wells' Built Museum of
African American History & Culture is housed in a building that is one
of the few "Chitlin Circuit" stops still standing? Would you be
surprised to learn that there are more than 6,800 different languages
spoken in the world and Orlando's WordSpring Discovery Center has
information on every one of them?
In a city known for entertainment, Orlando's performing arts scene is a
blend of traditional and cutting edge that will appeal to all. The
Orlando Ballet, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Orlando Opera and
SunTrust Broadway Across America-Orlando series are the cornerstones of
culture for traditionalists while the International Fringe Festival, new
play showcases and independent film and music festivals appeal to those
who seek edgier entertainment. Orlando offers all this and much more.
Interested in discovering more of these unexpected treasures for
yourself? Click here to view or print the Unexpected Orlando guide –
which lists more than 100 parks, museums, cultural performances,
wildlife experiences and other special interest attractions.
Then visit the Red Chair Project, Central Florida's official arts and
culture guide, for a searchable calendar of performances, exhibitions
and events.
Orlando’s Cultural Offerings Entertain and Amaze
While Orlando may be known for its world-class theme parks and
attractions, our artistic and cultural community is offering up
world-class entertainment in its own right. Buy a ticket, take a seat
and let yourself be transported from the Emerald City to ultra-civilized
Shakespearean England. Spend an evening with “the very model of a modern
Major General,” a little orphan named Annie or a sleeping princess.
After a fun-filled day at the attractions, you might find that you can
experience thrills and chills of a more theatrical kind on your Orlando
vacation, too.
The Best of Music and Dance
The Orlando Ballet’s is sure to thrill audiences with works ranging from
classical to modern.
For more than 50 seasons, the Orlando Opera will be staging their
memorable productions.
The Orlando Philharmonic’s will take the audience on a musical journey.
For 24 years, the Festival of Orchestras has been bringing some of the
world’s greatest orchestras to Orlando to entertain audiences.
The Orlando Chorale thrills audiences with the power of the human voice.
Diverse Theaters are:
The Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Downtown Orlando’s Mad Cow Theatre
Company, Annie Russell Theatre, The Winter Park Playhouse, and The
historic Icehouse Theatre is home to the Mount Dora Theatre Company.
Explore the History of Orlando
While Orlando’s history may be short, it is certainly colorful. Once
known for its cotton, cattle and citrus industries, the area has now
become one of the world’s leading vacation destinations.
What’s in a Name?
Originally named Jernigan after Aaron Jernigan who came from Georgia and
settled here in 1843, Orlando grew slowly around an old Army post - Fort
Gatlin - that had been abandoned in 1849. The town's name was
permanently changed to Orlando in 1857. While different versions of the
origin of the name are recounted, the official version gives credit to
Orlando Reeves, a U.S. soldier. Reeves was killed in 1835 by an American
Indian's arrow while serving on sentinel duty at what is now Lake Eola
Park in downtown Orlando. Another popular story is told through a local
judge – Judge Speer – who named the town after a character in
Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.”
From Cattle, Cotton and Citrus to Disney, Dolphins and Daring Rides
Cuba’s demand for beef cattle was the chief reason for Orlando’s growth
in the cattle industry prior to 1863. With the growth came widespread
cattle rustling, which led to street gunfights in downtown Orlando that
were more typical of the Wild West than the Deep South. The lawlessness
within the cattle industry caused losses to mount quickly and cotton
became woven into Orlando’s early history as a means of making a living.
As more settlers began working the fields, the small community soon
found itself located in the middle of a large cotton plantation.
Orlando’s cotton industry met its doom when the Civil War impacted the
industry’s workforce and a devastating hurricane in 1871 destroyed most
of the crops. Homesteaders soon realized that citrus trees were easier
to grow and more profitable.
“Orange fever” took over in 1870, and Orlando’s residents began planting
seeds in the land that once yielded cotton. With the nation’s growing
demand for grapefruit, tangerines and oranges, coupled with the
extension of the South Florida Railroad into Central Florida in 1880,
the citrus industry flourished. On July 21, 1875, the 2-square-mile
(5.2-square-kilometer) city of Orlando was officially incorporated.
From 1894 to 1895, a series of hard freezes hit Central Florida,
destroying 95 percent of the citrus trees and severely damaging the
citrus industry. Known as The Great Freeze, it took 15 years for the
industry to recover. Citrus became a major agricultural industry in
Orlando throughout most of the first half of the 20th century. At its
peak in the 1950s, more than 80,000 acres (32,000 hectares) of citrus
trees were thriving in Central Florida.
Orlando Dips its Toes into Tourism Waters
When the hard freezes devastated orange groves in 1895, an industrious
citrus grower, John B. Steinmetz, converted his packing house into a
skating rink, added picnic facilities and a bathhouse and built a
toboggan slide that spilled into Wekiva Springs. His entertainment
complex soon made Orlando an important leisure destination.
Orlando began taking steps toward becoming a world-class vacation and
recreation mecca when Cypress Gardens Adventure Park opened its doors in
1936. But, it was an announcement made on Nov. 11, 1965 that forever
changed Orlando’s destiny. After quietly acquiring parcels of mostly
swamp land south of Orlando, California theme park pioneer Walt Disney
announced his plans for a giant, family theme park. Walt Disney World
Vacation Kingdom opened its gates on Oct. 1, 1971 with the Magic Kingdom
theme park and two resort hotels, Disney’s Contemporary Resort and
Disney’s Polynesian Resort. By August 2002, attendance at the park had
surpassed the 10 million mark showing the world that there was a market
for the magical family vacation experience created by Disney.
Based on this early success, future development was inevitable. SeaWorld
Orlando splashed open in 1973. Over the years, Walt Disney World Resort
continued to expand with the opening of Epcot in 1982, Disney-MGM
Studios in 1989 and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park in 1998 as well as
resorts, water parks, golf courses and entertainment complexes. In 1990,
Universal Studios Florida came onto the scene. In 1999, Universal
Orlando Resort opened a second park, Universal’s Islands of Adventure,
followed by the addition of the Universal CityWalk entertainment complex
and three on-site Loews hotels. In 2000, Discovery Cove opened with a
unique dolphin-swim experience and in late-2004 Cypress Gardens
Adventure Park re-opened its extensive gardens along with new rides and
a water park.
Today, Orlando sets the gold standard for both vacationers and business
travelers. Orlando continues to grow, offering nearly 100 attractions,
112,000 hotel rooms and more than 5,300 restaurants, as well as the
second largest convention center in the nation. And, we are pleased to
welcome approximately 50 million visitors annually to experience our
ever-evolving destination.
Best Places to Explore Orlando’s History
The Orange County Regional History Center, a Smithsonian Affiliate,
provides a museum experience that brings to life the best of the
Sunshine State while highlighting history and culture from around the
country. Located in the heart of downtown Orlando in the beautifully
restored five-story 1927 Orange County Courthouse, The History Center is
home to the extensive collections of the Historical Society of Central
Florida, Inc. With an exciting roster of ever-changing exhibits on
display and traveling exhibits on loan from other facilities, The
History Center is one of Central Florida’s premier attractions.
Download a self-guided walking tour and treat yourself to a leisurely
stroll through the history of downtown Orlando. From areas of historical
significance to unique architecture, you will enjoy exploring the best
of both the old and the new Orlando.
The more than 15 museums and historical sites in the area offer you
insight into Orlando’s rich past – from historical homes to railroad and
old fire stations.
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